The Dickinson press., 1887-12-31
VALUABLE SHELLS.
ARRIVAL OF A CARGO OF 5000
POUNDS OF PEARLS.

POUNDS OF PEARLS.
A Reporters Chat with n Large I'M
porter and observation-disclosures of
Gathering Shells - Factories Where
Pearl Work is Turned Out.
A cargo of about $4,000 pounds of pearl
from the Philippine Islands arrived i'll this
city recently, and it will, no doubt, soon be
converted into artistic shapes for the adorn-
ment of fashionable mansions. One of the
latest ALLEGATIONS of the wealthy is the addi-
tion to their household gods of artistically
executed sea and landscape paintings i'll oil
upon mother of pearl shells. 1t is doubtful if
one of the hundreds who purchase them, or
five out of the thousands who admire them i'll
the show windows on Broadway or elsewhere,
have the remotest idea that nature formed
these shells for any other purpose than to be
used in this style of adornment.
A large importer of shells and Il manufac-
turer of pearl goods, i'll conversation with a
reporter, expressed establishment at the pro-
found ignorance of so many persons i'll re-
gard to the different localities from which
pearl shells come. and the hundred and ono
purposes for which they are used.
SLOW many kinds are there used i'll your
business asked the reporter.
THE VARIOUS KINDS.
"The shells which possess Il commercial
value are known to the trade us the Manila,
Australian, Bombay, Japan, East India,
Trocus, Chinese snail, black ami red ear, and
Panama. Several of these species are pear
bearing she'll, and are only obtained by pro
~fessional divers at the imminent risk of their
lives. Many of these bivalves are very heavy,
weighing sometimes eight or ten pounds. The
moment the native gets one ashore he forces
it open, and, carefully removing the living
inhabitant, carefully searches for any pearl
it may contain. Not only the shell, at and
about its hinge, but the meat or fish within is
thoroughly examined, lest the pearl might be
secreted, rs is frequently the case, in the body.
This examination over, the shells are laid
aside to dry, having first been thoroughly
cleaned. The finest shell for manufacturing
purposes comes from the Philippine islands
and is called the Manila. 1t ranges in price
from sixty to seventy-ive cents a pound, and
is used for making dress and shirt buttons,
pistol stocks, cuff buttons, palasol and UNI
brella handles, pen handles, studs, and scores
of other articles. A thin vcncering is also
made of it, which is worth SIP u pound, and
is used for inlaying the covers CT albums and
fancy cabinet work. These veneerings arc
fairly dazzling with rainbow hucs, and wher
lightly polished are exceedingly beautiful
When we have got all these articles out Of
the shell there is very little of the shell re
naming"
SIS there any difficulty or danger attending
the gathering of these shellsl"
81 should rather say there was. There il
one species Of shell shaped like an ear, called
the silver II red car, in the sides of which
are small holes, and through these, by means
Of long suckers, the fish fastens himself to ,
rock. When the tide has pretty nearly rul
out the natives go down among the rock!
and, watching their opportunity, catch hol,
of the upper shell which the shelliish keep
open. Unless he succeeds in the first instanc,
in pulling it from its resting place the ANNA
will close its Shell i'll a second, and the man,
fingers will be held there in II wise like grip
In that case the unfortunate pearl gathcrel
will have to stand up to his knees in wateI
unless he cuts off his imprisoned fingers, TO-
the shell canno be pried open, nor can thre,
men, with their united strength, pull hi
suckers from tho rock. Tho shell is so hare
that it is next to impossible to smash it
There the poor fellow is held Ill agony unit
the tide rises, when, unless he frees himself
by chopping off his finger ends and leaving
them for the animal to dine on, he is sure t.
be drowned.
PEARL MANUFACTURING.
"After the shells have been thoroughly
searched for pearls, they are cleansed and
packed in cases Of about two hundred pounds
each, and shipped to England, France, or this
country. Great ingenuity and long expert
ence are required to become an expert il
pearl shell working. When Il manufacturer
receives an order for q lot of cuff buttons liz
is sometimes obliged to overhaul dozens Of
cases i'll order to obtain those of the REQUIRED
thickness, and then not more than three O,
four buttons can he drilled out of the hcavies
shell. But then nothing goes to waste, fol
small buttons and other articles are mad,
from the thinner parts, and then, by mean.
of a circular saw, the scrap is cut for inlay
ing or vencering. Pistol stocks require the
Very heaviest Shell. A pearl worker in this
city, having some time ago received an order
from an army officer for a pearl handled re
%volver, was obliged to overhaul nearly G
whole ship load before he could find two
shells of the required thickness. He received
800 for that pistol stock.
"The business of pearl manufacturing j:
comparatively new in this country. and The
profits are SO large that there is a tendencytc
ulonopolize the industry. In consequence al
sorts of devices are resorted to in order to OBJ
tain the advantage. Some time ago a large
house in this city bought n cargo of pear
shells to arrive at 70 cents q pound. While
the vessel was Ill transit the market fell about
DO cents. 1t was Il lucky thing for the houst
that the vessel foundered off the Cape OF
Good Hope, for the concern would certainl,
have foundered had the ship come safely t.
port. Manufacturers here prefer waiting TO,
lots of pearl shells to arrive at this port direc,
from the fisheries, instead Of ordering from
London, knowing that the shells are assorted
there and the choicest picked out for til,
English and French markets. There ar,
several large manufactures of pearl work ii
Newark, Philadelphia, Germantown, and il
this city, and since the establishment of TIL
industry here the importation of pearl but
tons from England has greatly fallen off,
New York Commercial Advertiser,